5 Themes of Geography

Learning Targets: PG4- I can contrast differences between relative and

absolute location.HG4 – I can identify the characteristics that define a

region geographically.

1. Location Where is it at?

Absolute location gives an exact location to locate a place. Could use a grid system such as latitude and longitude or could be something like a street address.

Relative location is where a place is in relation to another place. Uses directional words to describe (Cardinal & intermediate )or identifying landmarks, direction, or distance between places

Absolute location -Antarctica

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Absolute location the exact location of a place.

Neumayer, AntarcticaPosition: 70°39'S, 08°15'W

Relative Location - Antarctica

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Antarctica is located south of the equator or Antarctica is at the bottom of Earth’s axis

Relative location is where a place is in relation to another place or explained by identifying landmarks, direction, or distance between places

2. PlaceWhat is it like when you get there? Characteristics that define a place and explains what makes it different from other places.

Physical characteristics include a description such things as the mountains, rivers, beaches, and animal and plant life of a place.

Human characteristics include the human-designed cultural features of a place, people, culture, language, architecture, religion, food and transportation and communication networks.

Place - Physical characteristics - Antarctica

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Shining icebergs, deep blue sea, pure white land that expands toward the horizon, mountains exposed in ice sheetsThere are no trees in Antarctica

Place -Human characteristics - Antarctica

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The only people who live there live in research stations

Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, Antarctica

Mrs. Beaty’s nephewCape Shirreff opening 2008

3. Human-Environment Interaction

What do the people do to the environment? What does the environment do for the people?

Explains how humans and the environment interact with each other. This theme considers how humans adapt to and modify the environment while depending upon it. Human interaction has both positive and negative effects on the environment.

Cutting down trees climate affects our jobs

Human-Environment Interaction - Antarctica

Antarctica is the biggest pristine (cleanest) area on Earth. It has little disturbance by human activities and therefore has little environmental destruction or pollution.

Human-Environment Interaction - Antarctica

Since Antarctica is geographically distanced from human activities and environmental pollution, it is a perfect site to collect baseline data on the global environment. Antarctica also contains the information on the Earth since its birth in a particularly good condition.

Mrs. Beaty’s nephew

4. Movement

People and ideas get around!Humans move, a lot. In addition, ideas, fads, goods, resources, and communication all travel distances. This theme studies movement and migration across the planet.

(When German immigrants came to the U.S., they brought the idea of the frankfurter, which we later called the hotdog.)

Movement - AntarcticaMost coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and helicopters. A few stations have a basic wharf facility.

L.M. Gould dropping off supplies and research crew at Palmer

5. RegionWhat do locations have in common?

Region divides the world into manageable units for geographic study. Regions have some sort of characteristic that unifies the area.

Regions are defined in many ways including area, vegetation, political divisions, etc.

(Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky are all part of the APPALACHIAN REGION because they all have the Appalachian Mountains running through them.)

Region –Antarctica

South Polar Region is the various lands and waters surrounding the South Pole; near the geographic poles

Five Themes of Geography

1.Location

2.Place

3.Human/Environment Interaction

4.Movement

5.Regions

5 Themes of Geography

Come up with a way to memorize the 5 themes.

L P H M R

Lucky People Have Many Relatives

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Show What You Know

• Label each of the following statements as one of the following: absolute location, relative location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, or region.

• 1. During the 1840’s Ireland’s potato crops failed and Ireland experienced a famine. It was during this time that many Irish immigrated to America seeking a better life.

• Movement

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• 2. The Incas invented terrace gardening. They carved steps of flat land up the side of the Andes mountain to create flat land for farming. The terraces also helped to keep rainwater from running off. They reduced erosion. The government built raised aqueducts to carry water to farmlands for irrigation.

• Human-Environment Interaction

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• 3. Greenwich, England is located on the Prime Meridian which is zero degrees longitude.

• Absolute Location

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• 4. If I had to choose to live somewhere other than East TN, I think I would like to live in Hawaii. Hawaii has lush mountains as well as beautiful beaches. And the people there seem to be so laid back and have less worries.

• Place

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• 5. We live in Maryville, TN which is located in East TN about 20 miles south of Knoxville, TN.

• Relative Location

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• 6. The history of the Middle East dates back to ancient times, and throughout its history, the Middle East has been a major center of world affairs. It is also the historical origin of major religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Middle East generally has an arid and hot climate, with several major rivers providing for irrigation to support agriculture in limited areas.

• Region

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• 7. Write your own statement that deals with at least 1 of the 5 Themes of Geography and ask a friend to answer it.

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